Into the fire
by EmmiLestrange
Summary: Merlin is the lover/slave of Cenred being held there under the threat of cenred killing his mother, cenreds kingdom is at war with camelot and cenred forces merlin to go to camelot and seduce the prince. What he didn't expect was to actually fall in love. Cenred "captures" merlin and arthur goes to save him... crap summary is crap R


**A/N: This is not edited, and I don't really plan to edit since I'm really really lazy, anyway... yeah... merthur... okay**

**Disclaimer: I don't own merlin as unfortunate as it sounds .**

"Prince Arthur? of Camelot?" there was a short pause, a young raven haired man stared in silence at his master, {{Cenred}} his arms crossed and stance defiant "You've got to be kidding me!" He spoke finally "I'm not doing this," he stated angrily. He turned to leave when Cenred grabbed his arm tightly wrenching his shoulder making him cry out, that was going to leave a mark.

"Now now merlin, I understand your decision. You do not wish to seduce the prince" he said in a calm voice but merlin could sense the malice hidden deep in his eyes "Although, it really would be a shame if anything were to happen to your mother,"he said with a laugh stroking merlins cheek softly. Merlins eyes widened considerably "There's no getting out of this is there?" he asked sadness dawning in his bright ocean blue eyes. Cenred smiled softly "shhh I don't want to do it, but we need arthur" he said softly and merlin nodded. Cenred then bent down and brushed his lips across merlins softly whispering a thank you "you leave for camelot in the morning... For now, won't you join me in my bed chamber" merlin faked a smile and nodded looking up at him. Then taking merlins hand cenred led him away.

{{{~Arthur~~(o0o)~~Merlin~}}}

~MERLIN P.O.V~

The next day merlin made for Camelot, a large pack on his back and an awkward grin on his face. Without magic it would take at least 3 days to get to Camelot from Cenreds Kingdom, but luckily magic was something merlin had at his disposal, with a snap of his fingers merlin disappeared from his currently occupied space and reappeared about one hundred yards from Camelots gates "I could walk from here," he said with a smirk.

When he entered the city, he gaped in awe at the large buildings, squinting in the light of the sun. This place really was beautiful "now what did prince arthur look like?" merlin said to himself grumbling slightly when something hit him in the back of the head "HEY!" he growled turning around quickly "Watch what you doing PRAT!" the man had golden hair like the sun "You might wanna watch how your talking to me!" he retorted angrily looking at merlin with contempt in his eyes.

Merlin glared at him "You asking for a fight?"

"fight you?" arthur laughed "how old are you? Sixteen? I could take you apart with one blow!"

"I could take you apart with less than that" merlin said with a slightly flirtatious look in his eyes "say kid, do you know how to walk on your knees?" arthur said quite obviously returning the flirtatious banter "It's merlin, and no, I don't"

"would you like me to help you?"

Merlin smirked "You are such an arse" and suddenly he threw a punch at arthur only for arthur to grab his arm and twist it behind his back "I could throw you in the dungeons for that you know." he stated and merlin just scoffed angrilly "and who do you think you are!? the king?" he said contemplating spitting on the golden haired man "Nope, I'm his son arthur." Merlins eyes widened in horror 'shit, shit, shit! I was supposed to make him fall in love with me not fucking fight with him! What am I gonna do?' he thought fear clouding his eyes, had he fucked it up already, he couldn't imagine what cenred would do to his mother and before he knew what was happening tears came to his eyes.

Arthur suddenly let his arm go "I didn't hurt you that bad did I?" he asked as if he had just trampled a small child "I'm fine!" merlin said, begrudgingly wiping the tears off with his sleeve.

~ARTHUR P.O.V~

Arthur was sure to be careful when he had grabbed the boys arm... So why was he crying? He wasn't sure why but the sight of the boys tears made his heart lurch a moment and he wanted to wipe them away but he was still the prince, and his friends were still all around him cheering for him to beat the kid to a pulp.

He let out a groan and grabbed the boys arm pulling him out of the circle "I'm gonna take him to the dungeons where he can think of his mistakes" he said trying to sound as angry as possible, hopefully none of his knights would follow him. When they were a safe difference from the circle arthur hit him slightly upside the head "hey what are you crying for? Your a man aren't you? And letting other people see you cry too, jeez you must have some sort of mental affliction." he stated trying to think of more comforting words but they just wouldn't come out.

He wasn't sure why he wanted to comfort this boy, there was just something about him he couldn't quite put his finger on. 'The boy... His name was merlin, right?' He thought to himself 'maybe because he's so scrawny my brain is mistaking him for a girl...' dismissing the thought as soon as it came he moved on trying to shake away the thoughts.

After a few moments of just sitting with merlin the boy stopped crying "I'm sorry..." he whispered softly, it made arthurs heart speed up "It's fine" he replied "but can I ask why you were crying like a girl" merlin let out a sad laugh and turned to look at arthur "my mother... I don't think I'll ever see her again." Arthur knew that pain, he had never met his mother, the only warmth of a woman he knew was that of his wet nurse and the chamber maids he brought to warm his bed on lonely nights.

"What happened to her?" arthur asked not looking at merlin "it's none of your business," he replied. Again they sat in silence for a while heads leaning against the side of the castle "what brings you to camelot?" arthur asked studying merlins face "just looking for a place to call home I supposed." merlin closed his eyes black eye lashes against pail cheek bones, he didn't know what it was but there was some sort of beauty about merlin... ' Reminds me of a swan' arthur thought 'so graceful in his movements' only later would arthur find out he is probably more accident prone than anyone he had ever met.

"Where are you staying?" He knew he was asking a lot of questions but he wanted to see this boy again, most definitely. He for some reason felt the need to take care of him the same feeling he gets when uther is being particularly cruel to morgana, perhaps he subconsciously wanted a brother.

Merlin shrugged "dunno, I'll probably have to sleep outside." he said softly, this was just the chance arthur was looking for "why don't you stay in the castle!" arthur suggested and merlin scoffed "You've got to be kidding! Don't play around with me like that it's irritating" he said turning away from arthur shifting his weight to stand up but arthur grabbed his arm looking up at merlin in his deep blue eyes he said "I'm serious, come stay in the castle and work as my manservant. You will have a place to stay and you will have a job." in all reality arthur just wanted to keep an eye on merlin but he couldn't help the feeling of joy when merlin nodded and helped arthur up.

~MERLIN P.O.V~

Merlin felt slightly worried, arthur was being so kind to him. Why would cenred want to hurt someone so kind? For a moment merlin thought of running away in the night he didn't think he could go through with this, but the thought of his mother crying out in pain asking merlin why he had abandoned her... It just hurt to bad so he nodded at arthur. All he would have to do is seduce the prince so cenred could "kidnap" merlin and leave a note for arthur to save him... then arthur would meet his demise.

{{{~Arthur~~(o0o)~~Merlin~}}}

~ARTHUR P.O.V~

Arthur led merlin up the winding steps to a tall tower "You will stay in here!" he said "This is the place where I normally go to work out my thoughts but... anyway no one ever comes up here so you should be safe and if a servant or noble asks what you are doing here send them in my direction immediately, do not try to talk to them." arthur said quickly "come on, leave your stuff there and let's go register you on the pay roll so you can get to work" Merlin dropped his stuff on the bed before following arthur, when arthur heard a gasp he turned around and looked up, merlin had tripped over his own foot and was falling face first on his way to rolling down the steps, out of habit arthur plunged forward in an attempt to grab merlin but just ended in them both falling down the stairs.

When arthur opened his eyes again he felt pain throbbing in the back of his head "ugh..." he groaned "what happened" his voice slurred slightly. Something was holding him down, looking over squinting at the bright light he saw merlin entangled in his arms "Sire! Your alright!" called a voice, getting a better look at his surroundings he was in the physicians chamber.

"huh... yeah, he said." wriggling out from underneath merlin and sitting up "careful sire you have quite the bump on your head. Arthur subconsciously touched the back of his head "oh"

"yeah, the knights found you, they brought you in with that boy there, apparently they had to carry you together because you wouldn't let go" gaius said with a raise of his eye brow as he looked at the boy "oh yeah... this is my new servant merlin... we fell down the stairs," arthur said turning towards merlin smiling softly at him as he breathed softly, sunlight filtering in through a window at just the right place for it to shine on merlins face. Gaius just looked on curiously, what would this strange new development bring to camelot? And would it be good... or bad?

**A/N: So there you have it, my very first merlin fic, it is not edited because I'm really lazy and it's about 3 in the morning and I just really wanted to hurry and write it before my head explodes, anyway this is chapter one of what I think is going to be a beautiful fanfic full of angst and tragedy. Anyway the ending of this fic I have already decided but I'm also going to do an alternate one for all you lovey dovey saps! XD**

**I live on reviews, so if you would please leave me one I would be very happy! :D**

**P.S. I don't deal with hate well, so please no flames or even constructive criticism. Because it hurts my poor fragile heart, Really the last time I got hate on anything I just discontinued it . **


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